Revolving steam table



Feb. 20, 1940. L. H. STARLING REVOLVING STEAM TABLE Filed March 22, 1939 I] wow foo A e onakc/Mdiar/z'gy 9 a G M Cir Patented Feb. 20, 1940.

parent orries i REVOLVING STEAM TABLE Leonard fli starling, Belle Glade, Fla

Application liierch 22,

3 Claims. 1 (c1. ice-.33.)

This invention relates to tables and more particularly to a steam tablehaving a revolving food-carrying and heating section and a fixed service section. While the table is of general application in that it may be used in restaurants and other public eating places, it is als o well.

adapted for domestic use in the home.

In the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this application, and in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in both of the figures:

Figurel is a vertical sectional view of a table constructed in accordance with the invention,

and i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view.

The table top comprises an outer, annular, body portion 5, that is fixedly supported upon a pan-1ike member '6. Member 6 is carried by a ring 1, that isfscrewed upon the upper end of a pipe 8. The lower end of the pipe 8 is screwed into a floor flange 9. If desired, an ornamental shield It may be engaged at its upper end with the ring 1 to house the pipe 8 and associated parts. The parts so far described are all stationary.

A revolving pipe or tube II has its lower end. disposed upon the upper member l2 of a ball or thrust bearing l3, said bearing being supported upon or in the floor flange 9. Suitable bushings l4 and I5 guide the tube H. A fixed pipe l6 has its lower end threaded into the lower portion of the floor flange and serves as an element through which a source of energy supply may be con ducted to a heating element ll, located in the pan-like member 6.

In the particular form of the invention illus-- trated, an electric cord I8 is shown extending through a channel formed in portion IQ of the floor flange, through the side of the pipe l6, and thence upwardly through said pipe to the heating element or hot plate ll. However, it is clear that a gas pipe could just as readily be carried I through pipe [6 to sup-ply fuel to a gas burner. Plate I1 is an electric heater, or a kerosene heater may be used.

The upper end of the revolving tube I I carries a flange 20. A plurality of spider arms 2i are secured at their lower ends to the flange 20 and at their upper ends support a horizontal ring 22. This ring in turn receives the water-receiving pan 23. This pan comprises a top plate 24, having a plurality of elongated openings 25 formed therethrough in which food receptacles 26, in the nature of tureens or the like may be seated,

: so that their contents may been proposed to combine a table surface section the past few years renders it practicable to use an article of this sort as an item. of home equipbe kept heated by the steam and hot water in pan 23.

The cover 24 may be soldered or otherwise affiXGCl to the pan 23, or it may be made separable therefrom. However, the whole pan structure, including the body 23 and top 24, rests loosely upon ring 22, so that it maybe taken. out of the table 5 when desired.

I am aware of the fact that it has heretofore with a revolving heated compartment. However, as far as I am aware, I am the first to propose a construction ofsuch a nature that the heated dishes may be very easily moved 1 around to the position occupied by anyperson 15 seated at the table and may be so moved by the person seated. Complicated structures, used for heating quantities of food to serve large numbers of people, differ radically in purpose from the structure constituting the subject matter ozt the present invention.

It is animportant purpose .of this invention to provide means for serving a relatively small numany diner may swing any of the dishes 26 around i to a position where he may serve himself therefrom, thusmaking it unnecessary for other diners to interrupt their meals to pass the food from one person to another. The rapid increasein the use of electricity and the rapid decrease in the cost of the same which has taken place in ment. i

It will be apparent that many ways will readily suggest themselves, to persons skilled in the art, of accomplishing the desired result. I, therefore, wish itjto be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but that it includes within its purview Whatever changes may fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims. 1 Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a fixed annular table top, means for supporting said table top from the floor, a centrally arranged tubular member, means for mounting 55 said tubular member for rotation, a water-receiving pan, means for supporting said pan from the tubular member for rotation with said. tubu- Iar member, and a top for thepan having a plurality 0i dish-receiving openings formed therein.

2. A device of the character described comprising a fixed annular table top section, a panlike member to which said table top section is attached, a pipe supporting said pan-likemember from the floor, a tubular member rotatively mounted Within said pipe, a water-receiving pan,

means forsupporting said pan from the tubular member, a cover for said pan having a plurality standing pipe, a floor flange by which said pipe I is supported, a flaring member connected to the upper end of the pipe and to the fixed table top section for supporting said table top from said the tubular member, a pan seated in the pan support adapted to receive water-and provided with a mounting the pan support upon the upper end of top which lies above and overlaps the fixed table top section, saiditop having a plurality of Openings formed therethrough'for the reception of dishes tobe heated by the steam, and water in the pan, a burner below the pan, a fixed pipe within the tubular member and engaged with the floor flange, and means for conducting a source of energy for the burner through the last-named pipe. v v

f ,LEIONARD H. STARLING. 

